The 2004 IEEE Nuclear and Space Radiation Effects Conference (NSREC) will be held July 19-23, 2004 in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Renaissance/Waverly Hotel. The conference features a Technical Program consisting of ten sessions of contributed papers that describe the latest observations and research results in radiation effects, a Short Course focusing on hardness assurance and photonics challenges for space systems that will be presented on July 19, a Radiation Effects Data Workshop, and an Industrial Exhibit. The Technical Program includes oral and poster sessions. There will also be special events for companions in a parallel social program. This is the 25th anniversary of the IEEE NSREC Short Course. Supporters of the Conference include the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Sandia National Laboratories, Air Force Research Laboratory, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and NASA Goddard SFC.

Technical Program
Papers to be presented at this meeting will describe the effects of space or nuclear radiation on electronic or photonic devices, circuits, sensors, materials and systems, as well as semiconductor processing technology and techniques for producing radiation-tolerant devices and integrated circuits. A new session has been added this year on radiation-hardening by design, which is of continuing interest for space and defense systems. The conference will be attended by engineers, scientists and managers who are concerned with radiation effects. International participation in the conference is strongly encouraged.

Specific topics for technical papers that will be presented at this conference include the following:

Basic Mechanisms of Radiation Effects in Electronic Materials and Devices Ionizing radiation effects

• Displacement damage effects
• Radiation effects on materials
• Single-event charge collectionphenomena and mechanisms
• Processing-induced radiation effects
• Radiation transport, energy deposition and dosimetry

Radiation Effects on Electronic and Photonic Devices and Circuits

• MOS, bipolar and advanced technologies
• SOI and SOS technologies
• Optoelectronic and optical devices, and optical systems
• Novel devices structures, such as MEMS
• Single-event effects
• Modeling of devices, circuits and systems
• Methods for hardened design and manufacturing
• Radiation effects at cryogenic temperatures
• Particle detectors and associated electronics at high-energy accelerators

Space, Atmospheric and Terrestrial Radiation Effects

• Characterization and modeling of radiation environments
• Space weather effects
• Spacecraft charging

Hardness Assurance Technology and Radiation Testing

• Testing techniques and guidelines
• Hardness assurance methodology
• Dosimetry

Radiation Effects on Commercial Space Systems

New Developments of Interest to the Radiation Effects Community

Radiation Effects Data Workshop
The Radiation Effects Data Workshop is a forum for papers on radiation effects data on electronic devices and systems. Workshop papers are intended to provide radiation response data to scientists and engineers who use electronic devices in a radiation environment, and for designers of radiation-hardened or radiation-tolerant systems. Papers describing new simulation facilities are also welcomed.

Paper Submittal
Information on the submission of summaries to the 2004 NSREC for either the Technical Sessions or the Data Workshop can be found at www.nsrec.com. The deadline for submitting summaries was February 6, 2004, and final selection of papers will be made in March. A limited number of late-news papers will be considered for the conference, but must be submitted by May 31. Late-news papers must clearly show why they are newsworthy, as well as technically significant.

Papers accepted for the conference are eligible for publication in the December issue of the IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, subject to an additional review cycle after the conference. Papers presented at the Workshop will be published in a special IEEE publication following the conference that is not subject to an additional peer review.

Short Course
Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a one-day Short Course on Monday, July 19. This one-day Short Course will address two very important topics and their related challenges for present and future space systems: hardness assurance and photonics. Essentially all present and envisioned space systems include photonic elements and subsystems, with key examples being solar arrays, optical sources and detectors, and optical fibers. To make use of current and emerging photonic components, designers must have knowledge of their radiation response and any associated limitations. Three speakers in the 2004 NSREC Short Course will address the key effects of radiation on and the challenges for photonics in space. Their comprehensive talks will include optical sources, detectors and imagers, fibers, solar cells, and photonic subsystems. The second major topic at the 2004 Short Course is space-system hardness assurance. Assuring the radiation hardness of those systems involves many detailed technical considerations. One lecturer will provide an overview of those hardness assurance techniques at the system level. Related challenges and potential solutions will also be considered. Another speaker will focus on the details of hardness assurance for electronic components. This Short Course will provide participants with a unique and cohesive set of talks on technical approaches and challenges for designers, radiation effects engineers, components specialists, and other technical and management personnel involved in developing space systems.

In the first session of the Short Course, Allan Johnston of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory will address various basic and applied aspects of space radiation effects on photonics. He will discuss effects on optical sources, optical fibers, and photonic subsystems. Included in his optical sources presentation will be material properties, effects on light-emitting and laser diodes, advanced devices, and annealing behavior. His discussion of optical fibers will address absorption effects, fiber testing approaches, and fiber selection for space systems. He will conclude with consideration of radiation effects on several photonic subsystems for space applications, including optical links, optical transmitters and receivers, and optical communication systems.

The second session, presented by Terry Lomheim of the Aerospace Corporation, will discuss radiation effects on visible and infrared detectors and arrays. For visible imagers, he will describe today’s leading technologies, followed by consideration of the key effects of the space radiation environment. He will include displacement damage effects, ionizing radiation effects, and radiation-induced noise in visible arrays, followed by an overview of array hardening approaches and technology trends. Dr. Lomheim will then address similar topics for infrared detectors, with emphasis placed on the effects of total ionizing dose, displacement damage, and ionization-induced noise in detector arrays.

Session three will be presented by Rob Walters of the Naval Research Laboratory, who will address basic and applied aspects of radiation effects on solar cells. He will discuss their device physics and the mechanisms of radiation-induced degradation. He will also provide an overview of leading solar cell technologies of interest for present and future applications. Dr. Walters will describe the modeling techniques used to predict solar-cell degradation in space, including the EQFLUX and SAVANT codes. Solar-cell simulation testing approaches will be discussed, including test facilities and particle choices. He will conclude with an overview of design concepts for hardened solar arrays, including array sizing and end-of-life performance considerations.

The fourth session will be presented by Gary Lum of Lockheed Martin, who will present a comprehensive review of hardness assurance for space systems. He will include a description of the space radiation environment and an overview of the key effects of that environment on electronics. System hardening approaches will also be addressed, such as part selection, shielding, and software techniques. Radiation testing considerations will be described at the part, unit, and subsystem levels. He will discuss key hardness-assurance analysis and modeling techniques. Management of hardness assurance will be then considered, followed by a discussion of emerging issues and challenges and their potential solutions for hardened space systems.

In the final session, Ron Pease of RLP Research will lecture on electronic piece-part hardness assurance for space systems. He will include definitions of key concepts and terminology and an historical overview of the evolution of and methods for parts hardness assurance. Key hardness assurance documentation for engineering users will be identified. He will then present a detailed description of the currently employed approach. Parts qualification, lot acceptance, and radiation lot acceptance testing will be addressed as well as the associated exceptions and limitations in practice. Various parts hardness assurance challenges for space systems will be discussed and recommendations will be given.

Industrial Exhibit
An Industrial Exhibit will be included as part of the Conference. The exhibit will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday. It will include exhibits from 35-40 exhibitors that represent companies or agencies involved in manufacturing electronic devices or systems for applications in space or nuclear environments, modeling and analysis of radiation effects at the device and system level, and radiation testing.

Local Arrangements
The main social event for the Conference will be a banquet, scheduled for Wednesday evening in downtown Atlanta, featuring an authentic southern barbeque at a historic rail depot, a visit to the World of Coca-Cola™, and strolling through Underground Atlanta. It will be open to attendees and their immediate families. The World of Coca-Cola™ will be reserved exclusively for the conference during the evening, allowing attendees and family members the opportunity to see this great family-friendly facility in a relaxed atmosphere.

Companion events will include a luncheon/shopping trip to the Miami Circle area of Buckhead on Tuesday, and a luncheon and tour of historic Jonesboro, Georgia, in which many locations and events that helped inspire “Gone with the Wind” will be visited and recounted on Thursday.

Atlanta
World-class restaurants, festive nightlife, five major league sports teams and an abundance of cultural attractions and events make Atlanta the center for entertainment in the South. Its diverse restaurants feature cuisine from around the globe prepared by world-renowned chefs. Buckhead, Midtown, and Virginia-Highlands are among the most popular neighborhoods for Atlanta nightlife. From Atlanta’s role in the Civil War to the celebration of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, Atlanta’s historical attractions promise a visit filled with education and entertainment. Atlanta’s convenience for travel, wide range of attractions, and southern hospitality make it enjoyable for tourists year-round. For more information on all Atlanta has to offer, visit the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Web site at www.atlanta.net.

Conference Committee
General Chair: Dan Fleetwood Vanderbilt University, (615) 322-2498
Technical Program: Jim Pickel PRT, Inc., (760) 451-2256
Local Arrangements: Jim Kinnison John Hopkins/Applied Physics Lab, (240) 228-6169
Short Course: Joe Srour The Aerospace Corporation, (310) 336-2565
Publicity: Teresa Farris Aeroflex Colorado Springs, (719) 594-8035
Finance: Robert Reed NASA Goddard SFC, (301) 286-2153
Awards: David Beutler Sandia National Laboratories, (505) 845-7068
Industrial Exhibits: David Meshel Northrop Grumman, (301) 454-9238
Guest Editor: Lewis Cohn Defense Threat Reduction Agency, (703) 325-1156